Mounting method of electronic components

ABSTRACT

Mounting methods of electronic components in which the electronic components are mounted on plural printed circuit boards are disclosed. An exemplary method includes: supplying a printed circuit board on a first conveyor; transferring the printed circuit board to the third conveyor and simultaneously, transferring the printed circuit board transferred to the first conveyor to the second conveyor; mounting the electronic components to about half-portion of the printed circuit board by moving the printed circuit board to one side and simultaneously, mounting the electronic components to about half-portion from the original position of the printed circuit board and transferring the printed circuit board to a fourth conveyor, simultaneously transferring the printed circuit board to the second conveyor to the third conveyor and then discharging the printed circuit boards sequentially.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a mounting method of electroniccomponents, more particularly, to a mounting method of electroniccomponents in which the electronic components are mounted on pluralprinted circuit boards and so the mounting time of the electroniccomponents is reduced.

2. Description of the Background Art

The mounting method of the electronic components is performed by asurface mounting device, and the mounting method of the electroniccomponents comprises the steps of: supplying a printed circuit board(hereinafter, referred to a “board”); transferring the supplied board;mounting the electronic components on the board; and discharging theboard mounted the electronic components.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual view illustrating a mounting method of electroniccomponents according to a conventional art. As shown in FIG. 1, themounting apparatus of electronic components according to theconventional art comprises: a base frame 1, X and Y gantries 2 and 3mounted to an upper portion of the base frame; mounting heads 4 and 5mounted movably along a straight line to a side of the base frame;electronic component feeding devices 6 and 7 for feeding the electroniccomponents mounted to both sides of the base frame 1, so that themounting heads 4 and 5 can pick up the electronic components; a firstconveyor C2, a conveyor C2 and a second conveyor C3 for enabling theboard P to move, so that the mounting heads picked up the electroniccomponents can mount the electronic components.

The board P supplied from the first conveyor C1 is transferred to themounting heads 4 and 5 by a conveyor C2. The mounting heads 4 and 5 movetoward X and Y shafts by the X and Y gantries 2 and 3, suck theelectronic components and mount the electronic component to the board ofthe upper working area A of the conveyor C2. In the mounting heads 4 and5 positioned at both sides of the conveyor C2, respectively, a onemounting head, a first mounting head 4 mounts the electronic componentsto a nearly half-portion of the board P corresponding to the mountinghead 4 and the other head, a second mounting head 5 mounts theelectronic components to a remnant portion of the board P, not mountedthe electronic components, corresponding to the mounting head 5.

At this time, when operations by the first and second mounting heads 4and 5 are performed simultaneously, since an interruption between themounting heads 4 and 5 may be occurred, the first and second mountingheads 4 and 5 perform the mounting work sequentially, notsimultaneously. When completing the mounting work, the board P istransferred to the second conveyor C3 by the conveyor C2. The secondconveyor C3 transfers the board P completed the mounting work to adischarge buffer (not shown).

Accordingly, according to the mounting method of the electroniccomponents of the conventional art, there are several disadvantages asfollows.

Since the electronic component can be mounted to only one printedcircuit board P and two mounting heads 4 and 5 cannot perform themounting work simultaneously, the mounting of the electronic componentis in need of much time and so the productivity is deteriorated.

Further, although the printed circuit boards P have various sizes, sincethe conveyors C1-C3 for transferring the printed circuit boards P have aconstant width, the electronic component cannot be mounted to theprinted circuit boards having larger or smaller sizes than the sizes ofthe conveyors C1-C3, so that the mounting apparatuses corresponding tothe sizes of the printed circuit boards are needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to providea mounting method of electronic components in which electroniccomponents can be mounted to a plurality of printed circuit boardswithout interrupting mounting heads in a short time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mounting methodof electronic components in which the electronic components can bemounted to the printed circuit boards having different sizes.

In one aspect of the present invention, to achieve the above-describedobjects of the invention, there is provided a mounting method forelectronic components comprising: a step for controlling widths ofplural conveyors; a step for supplying a printed circuit board on afirst conveyor; a step for transferring the printed circuit board to thesecond conveyor and simultaneously, supplying a new printed circuitboard to the first conveyor; a step for transferring the printed circuitboard to the third conveyor and simultaneously, transferring the printedcircuit board transferred to the first conveyor to the second conveyor;a step for mounting the electronic components to about half-portion ofthe printed circuit board reached in good condition to the thirdconveyor by moving the printed circuit board to one side andsimultaneously, mounting the electronic components to about half-portionfrom the original position of the printed circuit board reached in goodcondition to the second conveyor; a step for mounting the electroniccomponents to the remnant portion of the printed circuit board reachedin good condition to the third conveyor by moving the printed circuitboard to the original position and simultaneously, mounting theelectronic components to the remnant portion of the printed circuitboard reached in good condition to the second conveyor by moving theprinted circuit board to one side; and a step for transferring theprinted circuit board reached in good condition to the third conveyor toa fourth conveyor, simultaneously transferring the printed circuit boardreached in good condition to the second conveyor to the third conveyorand then discharging the printed circuit boards sequentially.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become better understood with reference tothe accompanying drawings which are given only by way of illustrationand thus are not limitative of the present invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an outline view illustrating a mounting method of electroniccomponents according to a conventional art; and

FIGS. 2 to 9 are flow charts illustrating a mounting process ofelectronic components according to the mounting method of the electroniccomponents of the present invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A mounting method of electronic components in accordance with preferredembodiments of the present invention will now be described in detailwith reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 2 a to 2 i, a mounting method of electronic componentsaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention comprises:

a. a step S1 for controlling widths of the first to fourth conveyorsC1-C4 matching to the width of the printed circuit board P;

b. a step S2 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 loaded to acharge buffer to the first conveyor C1 by using a transfer means(notshown) after controlling the widths of the first to fourth conveyors C1to C4;

c. a step S3 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 transferredto the first conveyor C1 to the second conveyor C2 and simultaneously,transferring a new printed circuit board P2 loaded to the charge bufferto the first conveyor C1; and

d. a step S4 for transferring the printed circuit boards P1 and P2transferred to the second conveyor C2 and the first conveyor C1 to thethird conveyor C3 and the second conveyor C2 as the next step.

The above steps of a to d are preparing steps for mounting theelectronic components and the steps for mounting the electroniccomponents will be described as follows, that is, a mounting method forelectronic components further comprises:

e. a step S5 for moving two mounting heads in an original state of thesecond conveyor C2 after transferring the third conveyor C3 to amounting head positioned at an upper side (or a lower side) and mountingthe electronic components to only about half-portion of the printedcircuit boards P1 and P2 loaded to the conveyors C2 and C3;

f. a step S6 for returning the third conveyor C3 when completing themounting work, transferring the second conveyor C2 to an upper side (ora lower side), and thereafter mounting the electronic components to aremnant portion of the printed circuit boards P1 and P2, not mounted theelectronic components, by the mounting heads.

The above steps of e to f are steps for mounting the electroniccomponents to the printed circuit board P.

Following steps of g to I are steps For discharging the printed circuitboard P, that is, a mounting method of electronic components furthercomprises:

g. a step S7 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 loaded to thethird conveyor C3 to the fourth conveyor C4 after returning the secondconveyor C2 to the original position and simultaneously transferring theprinted circuit board P2 loaded to the second conveyor C2 to the thirdconveyor C3;

h. a step S8 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 transferredto the fourth conveyor C4 to a discharge buffer, simultaneouslytransferring the printed circuit board P2 transferred to the thirdconveyor C3 to the fourth conveyor C4 and then discharging the printedcircuit board P2 to the discharge buffer; and

i. a step S9, in which a new printed circuit board P3 is loaded in thefirst conveyor C1 as a wait state when mounting the electroniccomponents and when the printed circuit board P2 loaded the electroniccomponents in the second conveyor C2 is discharged to the dischargebuffer, the new printed circuit board P3 of the wait state loaded to thefirst conveyor C1 is transferred to the third conveyor C3 through thesecond conveyor C2 and thereafter the next printed circuit board P4 istransferred to the second conveyor C2.

When the printed circuit boards P3 and P4, not mounted the electroniccomponents, are loaded to the second and third conveyors C2 and C3, theelectronic components are mounted through the steps of e to f and thenthe printed circuit boards mounted the electronic components aredischarged through the steps of h to i.

By performing the above steps repeatedly, electronic components aremounted to plural printed circuit boards successively. The firstconveyor C1 is a charge conveyor and the fourth conveyor C4 is adischarge conveyor.

As shown in FIGS. 3 a to 3 f, a mounting method of electronic componentsaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention comprises:

a. a step S1 for controlling widths of the first to fourth conveyorsC1-C4 matching to the width of the printed circuit board P;

b. a step S2 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 to the firstconveyor C1;

c. a step S3 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 transferredto the first conveyor C1 to the second conveyor C2 and simultaneously,transferring a new printed circuit board P2 loaded to a buffer to thefirst conveyor C1;

d. a step S4 for transferring the printed circuit boards P1 and P2transferred to the second conveyor C2 and the first conveyor C1 to thethird conveyor C3 and the second conveyor C2 as the next step.

e. a step S5 for mounting the electronic components to the entireportion of the printed circuit board P1 reached in good condition to thethird conveyor C3 by transferring the third conveyor C3 to a mountinghead of one side and simultaneously, mounting the electronic componentsto the entire portion of the printed circuit board P2 reached in goodcondition to the second conveyor C2 by a mounting head of the other sidein a state that the second conveyor C2 does not moved;

f. a step S6 for returning the third conveyor C3 when completing themounting work;

g. a step S7 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 reached ingood condition to the third conveyor C3 to the fourth conveyor C4,simultaneously transferring the printed circuit board P2 reached in goodcondition to the second conveyor C2 to the third and fourth conveyors C3and C4 and discharging the printed circuit boards sequentially; and

h. a step S8 for waiting a new printed circuit board P3 to the firstconveyor C1 of the charge buffer side until the printed circuit boardsP1 and P2 mounted the electronic components and reached in goodcondition to the second and third conveyors C2 and C3 and then whendischarging the printed circuit boards, loading printed circuit boardsP3 and P4 to the second conveyor C2 to the third conveyor C3.

By performing the above steps repeatedly, electronic components aremounted to plural printed circuit boards successively. In comparisonwith the first embodiment, although the mounting work for mounting theelectronic components simultaneously to the printed circuit boards P2and P1 reached in good condition to the second and third conveyors C2and C3 is similar to that of the first embodiment, the second embodimentis characterized in that the second conveyor C2 mounts the electroniccomponents at its original position, does not move toward the mountinghead side.

FIGS. 4 a to 4 d are views illustrating mounting steps of electroniccomponents according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Asshown in FIGS. 4 a to 4 d, a mounting method of electronic componentsaccording to a third embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed hereinafter.

Since the step for transferring the printed circuit board to the secondand third conveyors is the same as those of the first and secondembodiments, hereinafter, only different points(new steps) aredescribed. A mounting method of electronic components comprises:

a. a step in which when the printed circuit boards P2 and P1 are reachedin good condition to the second and third conveyors C2 and C3,electronic components are mounted to only about half-portion of thesecond and third conveyors C2 and C3 by mounting heads mounted atopposite sides against each other corresponding to the second and thirdconveyors C2 and C3;

b. a step S2 in which when completing the mounting work to thehalf-portion, the second and third conveyors C2 and C3 are rotated with180° by each rotating means and the portions, not mounted electroniccomponents, are corresponded to the mounting heads;

c. a step S3 for mounting the electronic components to the remnantportions of the printed circuit boards P1 and P2 reached in goodcondition to the second and third conveyors C2 and C3; and

d. a step S4 in which the printed circuit boards P1 and P2 completed themounting are discharged passing through the steps of the first andsecond embodiments sequentially and simultaneously the printed circuitboards P3 and P4 of the waiting state are transferred to the second andthird conveyors C2 and C3, so that the mounting of the printed circuitboards P3 and P4 is prepared.

In comparison with the first and second embodiments, although themounting work for mounting the electronic components by loading theprinted circuit boards to the second and third conveyors C2 and C3 issimilar to those of the first and second embodiments, the thirdembodiment is characterized in that the electronic components aremounted without moving the second and third conveyors.

FIGS. 5 a to 5 i are views illustrating mounting steps of electroniccomponents according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Asshown in FIGS. 5 a to 5 d, a mounting method of electronic componentsaccording to the fourth embodiment of the present invention comprises:

a. a step S1 for controlling widths of the first to fourth conveyorsC1-C4 matching to the width of the printed circuit board P1 loaded to abuffer side;

b. a step S2 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 to the firstconveyor C1;

c. a step S3 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 transferredto the first conveyor C1 to the second conveyor C2, simultaneously, anew printed circuit board P2 loaded to the buffer to the first conveyorC1, and mounting the electronic components to the printed circuit boardP1 reached in good condition to the second conveyor C2; and

d. a step S4 for transferring the third conveyor C3 to one side aftertransferring the printed circuit board P1 mounted the electroniccomponents in the second conveyor C2 to the third conveyor C3,simultaneously, transferring the printed circuit board P2 reached ingood condition to the first conveyor C1 to the second conveyor C2, andwaiting a new printed circuit board P3 to the first conveyor C1;

e. a step S5 for transferring the third conveyor C3 to a mounting headof the other side, mounting electronic components to the remnant portionof the printed circuit board P1 reached in good condition to the thirdconveyor C3 by the mounting head of the other side, and simultaneously,mounting electronic components to about half-portion of the printedcircuit board P2 transferred to the second conveyor C2 by the mountinghead 5 of one side;

f. a step S6 for returning the second conveyor C3 to the originalposition;

g. a step S7 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 mounted theelectronic components in the third conveyor C3 to the fourth conveyorC4, simultaneously transferring the printed circuit board P2 reached ingood condition to the second conveyor C2 to the third conveyor C3,transferring the printed circuit board P3 provided to the first conveyorC1 to the second conveyor C2, and waiting a new printed circuit board P4to the first conveyor C1;

h. a step S8 for transferring the third conveyor C3 to the mounting headof one side; and

i. a step S9 for mounting electronic components to about half portion ofthe printed circuit board P3 transferred to the second conveyor C2 bythe mounting head of one side, and simultaneously, mounting electroncomponents to the printed circuit board P2 reached in good position tothe third conveyor C3 by the mounting head 2 of the other side.

FIGS. 6 a to 6 f are views illustrating mounting steps of electroniccomponents according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. Asshown in FIGS. 6 a to 6 f, a mounting method of electronic componentsaccording to the fifth embodiment of the present invention comprises:

a. a step S1 for controlling widths of the first to fourth conveyorsC1-C4 matching to the width of the printed circuit board P1 loaded to abuffer side;

b. a step S2 for supplying the printed circuit board P1 to the firstconveyor C1;

c. a step S3 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 to the secondconveyor C2 and simultaneously, supplying a new printed circuit board P2to the first conveyor C1;

d. a step S4 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 reached ingood condition on the second conveyor C2 to the third conveyor C3 andsimultaneously, transferring a new printed circuit board P2 reached ingood condition on the first conveyor C1 to the second conveyor C2;

e. a step S5 for moving the first and second conveyors C2 and C3 havingloaded printed circuit boards P2 and P1, respectively, toward adirection corresponding to each other and then performing the mountingwork of electronic components by mounting heads 4 and 5; and

f. a step S6 for moving the first and second conveyors C2 and C3 totheir original positions after completing the mounting work ofelectronic components and then discharging the electronic componentssequentially.

FIGS. 7 a to 7 h are views illustrating mounting steps of electroniccomponents according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. Asshown in FIGS. 7 a to 7 h, a mounting method of electronic componentsaccording to the sixth embodiment of the present invention comprises:

a. a step S1 for controlling widths of the first to fourth conveyorsC1-C4 matching to the width of the printed circuit board P1 loaded to abuffer side;

b. a step S2 for waiting the printed circuit board P1 to the firstconveyor C1;

c. a step S3 for connecting the first and second conveyors C1 and C2 inorder to be corresponded to the length of the printed circuit board P1and synchronizing the first and second conveyors C1 and C2, wherein inthe step S3, concave and convex units, not shown, are formed at facingportions of the first and second conveyors C1 and C2 and then the firstand second conveyors C1 and C2 are combined mutually by the concave andconvex units.

d. a step S4 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 to the secondconveyor C2 and then mounting electronic components to abouthalf-portion of the printed circuit board P1;

e. a step S5 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 reached ingood condition to the integrated first and second conveyors C1 and C2 tothe third conveyor C3 and simultaneously, supplying a new printedcircuit board P2 to the first and second conveyor C1 and C2;

f. a step S6 for transferring the third conveyor C3 to one side;

g. a step S7 for mounting the electronic components to the remnantportion of the printed circuit board P1 reached in good condition to thethird conveyor C3 and simultaneously, mounting the electronic componentsto about half-portion of the printed circuit board P2 reached in goodcondition to the first and second conveyors C1 and C2; and

h. a step S8 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 to the fourthconveyor C4 of a discharge buffer side by moving the third conveyor C3to the original position, simultaneously transferring the printedcircuit board P2 reached in good condition on the first and secondconveyors C1 and C2 to the third conveyor C3, and transferring a newprinted circuit board P3 to the first and second conveyors C1 and C2.

By performing the above steps repeatedly, electronic components aremounted to plural printed circuit boards successively.

FIGS. 8 a to 8 g are views illustrating mounting steps of electroniccomponents according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.As shown in FIGS. 8 a to 8 g, a mounting method of electronic componentsaccording to the seventh embodiment of the present invention comprises:

a. a step S1 for supplying the printed circuit board P1 to the firstconveyor C1;

b. a step S2 for combining the first and second conveyors C2 and C3 byconnecting the first and second conveyors C2 and C3 when the length ofthe printed circuit board P1 is longer than those of the respectivesecond and third conveyors C2 and C3;

c. a step S3 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 in order thatthe printed circuit board P1 transferred to the first conveyor C1 isreached in good condition to the integrated first and second conveyorsC2 and C3;

d. a step S4 for moving the first and second conveyors C2 and C3 towarda mounting head and then mounting the electronic components to theprinted circuit board P1 reached in good condition to the second andthird conveyors C2 and C3;

e. a step S5 for transferring the second and third conveyors C2 and C3to the original position;

f. a step S6 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 mounted theelectronic components in the second and third conveyors C2 and C3 to thefourth conveyor C4, as a discharge conveyor; and

g. a step S7 for transferring the printed circuit board P2 of a waitingstate to the second and third conveyors C2 and C3 simultaneously whendischarging the printed circuit board P1 of the fourth.

In the mounting method according to the fourth embodiment of the presentinvention, electronic components are mounted safely by connecting thefirst and second conveyors C2 and C3 when the length of the printedcircuit board P1 is longer than those of the respective conveyors C1, C2and C3.

FIGS. 9 a to 9 h are views illustrating mounting steps of electroniccomponents according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention.As shown in FIGS. 9 a to 9 h, a mounting method of electronic componentsaccording to the eighth embodiment of the present invention comprises:

a. a step S1 for controlling widths of the first to fourth conveyorsC1-C4 matching to the width of the printed circuit board P1;

b. a step S2 for waiting the printed circuit board P1 to the firstconveyor C1;

c. a step S3 for combining the third and fourth conveyors C3 and C4 byconnecting the third and fourth conveyors C3 and C4, transferring theprinted circuit board P1 to the second conveyor C2, and transferring anew printed circuit board P2 to the first conveyor C1;

d. a step S4 for transferring the printed circuit board P1 to the thirdconveyor C3 and transferring the printed circuit board P2 to the secondconveyor C2;

e. a step S5 for mounting electronic components to about half-portion ofthe printed circuit boards P1 and P2 by moving the printed circuitboards P1 and P2 oppositely, respectively;

f. a step S6 for mounting electronic components to the remnant portionsof the printed circuit boards P1 and P2 by moving the printed circuitboards P1 and P2 oppositely, respectively;

g. a step S7 for moving the second, third and fourth conveyors C2, C3and C4 to the central position; and

h. a step S8 for moving the printed circuit board P1 to the fourthconveyor C4 and then discharging the board P1.

As discussed earlier, according to the mounting method of electroniccomponents of the present invention, there are several advantages thatsince the electronic components can be mounted simultaneously to theprinted circuit board, the working time is reduced and so theproductivity can be enhanced.

Also, since electronic components can be mounted without changing theconveyor irrespective of the printed circuit board having various sizes,the mounting method is very economical.

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, itshould also be understood that the above-described embodiments are notlimited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unlessotherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within itsspirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore allchanges and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of theclaims, or equivalences of such metes and bounds are therefore intendedto be embraced by the appended claims.

1. An electronic component mounting method,: comprising: transferring afirst printed circuit board from a first conveyor to a second conveyorwhile simultaneously supplying a second printed circuit board to thefirst conveyor; shifting the second conveyor holding the first printedcircuit board from a first position to a second position; and mountingelectronic components to the first printed circuit board whilesimultaneously mounting electronic components to the second printedcircuit board.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electroniccomponents are mounted to about a half portion of the first and secondprinted circuit boards.
 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:shifting the second conveyor from the second position to the firstposition, while simultaneously shifting the first conveyor from a thirdposition to a fourth position.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein thefirst and third positions are aligned, and the second and fourthpositions are aligned.
 5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:simultaneously mounting electronic components to a remaining halfportions of the first and second printed circuit boards.
 6. The methodof claim 5, further comprising sequentially discharging the first andsecond printed circuit boards from the first and second conveyors.
 7. Amounting method of electronic components, comprising: controlling widthsof a plurality of conveyors, including a first conveyor, a secondconveyor, a third conveyor, and a fourth conveyor; supplying a printedcircuit board to the first conveyor; and moving at least one of thefirst, second, third, and fourth conveyor relative to the other of theat least one of the first, second, third, and fourth conveyor.